Commonwealth-supported places
All domestic students (Australia or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Australia) are Commonwealth-supported students. This means the federal government pays a large portion of your fees and you pay the remainder. This is called a 'student contribution'.
To be eligible for a Commonwealth-supported place, you must:
- be a citizen of Australia or New Zealand; or
- hold an Australian permanent resident visa; or
- hold an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.
Your student contribution is calculated twice a year, at the beginning of each semester. The fees and amount you contribute will depend on the subjects you choose, as course costs vary. For example, in 2011 the student contribution for a Bachelor of Science degree would have been $4355, compared to a Bachelor of Commerce costing $9080.
The table below outlines the student contribution amounts for Commonwealth-supported students who enrol at the University of Sydney for the first time in 2012. Note that in some degrees – for example science, arts and economics – the range of subjects offered can cross a number of bands. Your exact contribution amount will therefore depend on the subjects you choose.
| Student Contribution Band | Unit of Study Field | Students commencing study after January 1 2010 |
Students commencing study between January 1 2009 and December 31 2009 and are continuing in the same course of study |
Students commencing study between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008 and are continuing in the same course of study | Students commencing study before January 1, 2008 and are continuing in the same course of study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Humanities, Arts, Behavioural Science, Social Studies, Foreign Languages, Visual and Performing Arts | $5,648 | $5,648 | $5,648 | $5,648 |
| Education and Nursing (**) | $5,648 | $4,648 | $4,520 | $4,520 | |
| Band 2 | Computing, Built Environment, Health, Engineering, Surveying, Agriculture | $8,050 | $8,050 | $8,050 | $8,050 |
| Band 3 | Law, Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science | $9,425 | $9,425 | $9,425 | $9,425 |
| Accounting, Administration, Economics and Commerce (#) | $9,425 | $9,425 | $9,425 | $8,050 | |
| National Priority (Sydney Uni Band 6) | Mathematics, Science and Statistics | $4,520 | $4,520 | $8,050 | $8,050 |
(**) The various notices and financial statements produced by the University, subsequent to 1 January 2010, will classify the units of study in these disciplines as Band 7 units.
(#) The various notices and financial statements produced by the University, subsequent to 1 January 2010, will classify the units of study in these disciplines as Band 5 units.
HECS-HELP
Most Commonwealth-supported students are eligible for HECS-HELP assistance, the federal government's Higher Education Loan Program. If you hold a permanent resident visa (other than a permanent humanitarian visa) or you are a New Zealand citizen (and not also an Australian citizen), then you will still be a Commonwealth-supported student but won't be eligible for HECS-HELP and will need to pay your full semester student contribution upfront without a discount.
If you are an Australian citizen or hold a permanent humanitarian visa, you are eligible for HECS-HELP. This means you can choose to either pay your student contribution upfront with a 10 percent discount (‘HECS-HELP discount’), or defer all or part of your contribution through the Australian Taxation Office (‘HECS-HELP loan’). If you take out a HECS-HELP loan, the loan amount will be reported to the Australian Tax Office and you repay the money you owe through the tax system once you start to work and your income reaches a certain threshold ($47,195 per annum in 2011-12).
More information on Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP.